The downstairs dining room at G&G's was packed full of convivial members enjoying the camaraderie that our club
affords. At 8:pm Lou Newman introduced the evening's speaker, Mark Nelson, who, as far as we know, is the only Jewish shoemaker in the local area. From his Poughkeepsie workshop Mark creates orthotic, or corrective, shoes for people who suffer from podiatric ailments. Mark melds this specialty into his mastery of the general craft of shoe repair and so is a
valuable resource for both the afflicted and healthy wearers of shoes.
Mark must be very busy because his shop is open seven days a week and his 3 children, who in a previous era would be
found at adjoining benches apprenticing the crafts of cordwaining and cobbling, are away at school pursuing other careers. Nevertheless, Mark is historian of his craft as well as a practitioner of it; especially as it pertains to the role shoes have played in Jewish life throughout the ages. Mark explained the arcane laws of halitzah, which dates back to the Bible and which involves the throwing of a shoe as part of a complicated formula to circumvent the obligatory levirate marriage between a childless widow and her brother-in-law.
Our guest that evening was David Vazemiller, who hails from Minnesota and was the guest of Les Muldorf. We welcomed as well errant Harding Club member Jerry Greenberg, who is back with his old friends.
Les Muldorf reminded everyone about needing volunteers to deliver Hadassah's Passover food baskets to needy local families. It is desperately important that they receive this help in these trying economic times he said. The Harding Club is considering a financial contribution as well, please contact Les if you are interested in helping out. Les is also organizing a photography seminar on March 14th.
Red Ticket: Lew Sims; Blue Ticket: Mel Zipes
Submitted by Peter Albenda, with respect.
Sent by: John Weisman, VP of the Harding Club, Jupiter Florida branch (you may not have snow but we got plenty of rain (not complaining)).